


be as you've always been (love, be good to me)

by SleepyBanshee



Series: tumblr requested prompts for drabbles and fics [7]
Category: SKAM (Italy), SKAM (Italy) RPF
Genre: AU where Edo didn't come back to Ele at the greenhouse, F/M, They still in love, Tumblr Prompt, basically fluff and angst and Ele singing karoke poorly, i am so bad at tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 16:40:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19794850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepyBanshee/pseuds/SleepyBanshee
Summary: The anxiety persisted. Perhaps because she was making a massive change, but perhaps it was because right before she finally drifted off to sleep she saw Edoardo’s face. A face she assumed would always be a part of her family too, a face she hadn’t seen since he left her crying outside the greenhouse four years ago. A face that haunted her, sometimes.Eleonora finally drifted off thinking of his smile.





	be as you've always been (love, be good to me)

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr prompt from tell-me-that-we-belong-together: Tumblr Prompt: What if in the clip 4 of the 10th episode Edoardo wouldn't come back to Ele and after a few years they would reunite. Obviously, they are still in love with each other.

The day blurred into night. Eleonora was exhausted. She didn’t know what time it was. She didn’t even know how she got from the greenhouse back to the flat. She assumed Filo drove her home in the car that was actually fine, but Eleonora couldn’t bring herself to care.

She felt hollow.

The pounding of her heart had died down. Earlier it had ravaged her. When she saw Edo walk away, when Filo steered her home, her chest ached from the crushing beat of her heart. All hope had left and gotten into the car alongside Edoardo.

He left her. She had said her piece, she had fought for him, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. Eleonora wondered what it would take to get people to stay, to choose her, to fight for her? She thought she had found that with Edoardo. He was endlessly patient. He always fought for her for them. And now, she had pushed him over the edge.

She should’ve trusted him. She should’ve never gone to his house. She shouldn’t have taken the drink. She should’ve listened to his point of view.

Should’ve. Should’ve. Should’ve. That’s all she could think about.

She was in the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the tub, holding her arms around her waist. Holding herself together. She should dry her hair, put on lotion, and try to sleep, but she felt paralyzed. She felt the phantom caress of Edoardo’s fingers on his cheek. She wanted his stupid curls and lip biting grin. She wanted his anger. She wanted him.

The worst part was that Eleonora would move on. She would get up, day after day, and the hurt would fade until it was a distant twinge every now and then. Daily life would go on. She didn’t want to forget Edoardo. She didn’t want him to feel like a distant bittersweet memory. She wanted to feel the heartache to assure herself that this was real. That she had loved.

Eleonora felt tears slipping down her cheeks. She wiped them away quickly and stood up and walked out of the bathroom, keeping her head down and heading straight to bed. She knew that tomorrow Filo would start to poke and prod her. Try to get her to eat. Maybe even invite Eva over, so Eleonora relished the silence and alone time. She just needed to be. Feel every terrible gut-wrenching pain. Just for tonight before she donned her lipstick and pretended that she was fine. That it was okay.

That her heart had not shattered.

She didn’t expect to sleep. But the comfort of her bed and her room helped. Her thoughts raced, her body wiped out and she wanted to rest.

She finally blearily looked at her phone. A bunch of texts and calls from Le Matte. Nothing from Edoardo. Nothing from her mom.

A text from Marti that read, “it will hurt for a while.” It was perhaps the most comforting message. Eleonora was so torn between living deep within the anguish and pretending the anguish didn’t exist. But she appreciated the text.

It was three AM, Eleonora needed to do something. She got out of bed and walked around her room before sitting at her desk. She found a sheet of paper and a pen and sat staring at the white of the page for a few moments. Then, she wrote.

~~~~~~  
Dear Edoardo,

I’m sitting down at my desk, my clean desk, thanks to you, writing this. You left for the weekend. You left me. You’ll never get this letter and really I am only writing it so that I can sleep. I need the words that are swarming in my head to stop for a few minutes.

I feel lost. I sort of hate when people say that they lose a part of themselves when they break up with someone. I didn’t lose a part of myself.

I lost my family. You know that I’ve never really had one. The closest to family I’ve had is a semi-present mother, Filo, and the girls. And you. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to articulate the comfort and safety you brought me.

I just want to say that I’m sorry. That I should’ve trusted you. That I should’ve fought harder for you. I know that my trust and my fight were too late, but you have them now, for whatever that’s worth.

I hope one day this hurts less. That we both can come back to each other as friends, maybe even rediscover our family. But most of all, I hope that you are okay. You are one of the best people I have ever known. You are thoughtful and funny and so incredibly sweet. I hope that the world can see that. That you show them that Edoardo and not the one you use as a mask.

I’ll miss you so much. I already miss you.

I truly believe we belong together.

I love you,  
Ele

~~~~~

Finally, Eleonora could feel her body begin to slow. Her mind was no longer racing. Exhaustion took over. She crawled into her bed and waited until she drifted off to sleep.

\-----  
FOUR YEARS LATER

Eleonora shook her head vehemently. “No, Eva. I am not singing.”

“Ele! Come on! It’s fun.” Eva pouted.

“You know I am a terrible singer. Nor am I drunk enough for this,” Ele responded resisting Eva’s attempts to pull her towards the stage to sing some karaoke.

“Ele, this is your celebration. You are a university graduate! You finished early and you have a hotshot horticultural research position lined up. Get your ass up there and sing a Cher song, PLEASE,” Eva demanded.

Ele rolled her eyes and gave in. What the hell, she thought. She could sing badly for one song. She made her way to the stage and looked over the selection. God, there were a ton of songs to choose from. She wanted something she could purposefully sing bad to, and would amuse Eva. She looked through the list before landing on the perfect song.

Ele moved to the center of the stage, she could hear Eva yelling wildly in the middle of the crowd. She cleared her throat.

“I’d like to dedicate this song to my absolute best friend, Eva!” The familiar song started and Eleonora couldn’t help but smile when she heard a mixture of cheers and groans from the crowd.

Ele begin singing, “i'm too sexy for my love. Too sexy for my love. Love's going to leave me.”

Elenora didn’t quite half-ass the performance, but she definitely didn’t go all out. Luckily she picked her song well because the crowd sang along and mostly drowned out Eleonora’s own terrible singing. It was fun, though, and Eva was beaming as Ele walked off stage and made her way back to their table.

Eva gave her a slow clap and Ele bowed jokingly at Eva’s enthusiastic cheering. “You ready to go?” Ele asked. Eva was looking a little flushed and was a little less coordinated than usual. She’d prefer to get Eva home before she got threw up everywhere.

Eva pouted but nodded her head. She linked arms with Ele and they walked back to their shared apartment. Eleonora’s stuff was already packed and this was her last night in Milan. Tomorrow she had a roughly two hour train ride to Florence where she was working at a non-profit research lab for green technology and sustainability. To say she was nervous and excited was an understatement.

Eleonora got Eva back to the apartment. Made her drink an entire glass of water and take some pain killers before shrugging off her shoes and placing her on one side of the bed. Eleonora quickly got into a pair of Eva’s pajamas and laid down on the other side of the bed.

Eleonora had hoped that she would be able to sleep. She needed to be well rested tomorrow and the train was set to leave around nine am.

Eleonora felt the nerves she had been studiously trying to ignore for the past week. She was moving to a new city alone. She had been alone before. She had successfully studied in Manchester, she practically grew up alone. But she had a family now. She had Eva and Marti (and by extension Nico) who had gone to the same University as her. She had a good group of friends, Le Matte who she regularly skyped with. This was the first time since she had a solid and stable support system that she was leaving behind.

She thought about what she used to be like before having this group of people she could call day or night who would be there for her. But she just remembered being lonely and hungry. She knew that nothing could break the bonds of her group. She was indeed apart of a chosen family that would always be thicker than blood, regardless of the bullshit saying.

The anxiety persisted. Perhaps because she was making a massive change, but perhaps it was because right before she finally drifted off to sleep she saw Edoardo’s face. A face she assumed would always be apart of her family too, a face she hadn’t seen since he left her crying outside the greenhouse four years ago. A face that haunted her, sometimes.

Eleonora finally drifted off thinking of his smile.

\-----  
Eleonora had arrived at the train station with plenty of time to grab a coffee and head to the platform. She had shipped most of her items so all that she had to carry with her was a small roller bag and her large tote. She got on the train, looked down at her ticket and made her way to her seat. She put the larger roller bag up above in the storage bin and sat down. She was lucky enough to have a table in front of her and pulled out her computer and headphones. She had a few movies she could watch and she had promised Eva that she would hear from her during her train ride.

Although odds were that Eva had immediately gone back to sleep once she dropped Eleonora off at the station. Eleonora sipped her coffee and looked out the window. She saw passengers waiting for their train and was content to people watch until the lull of the moving train relaxed her so she could enjoy a movie. She was contemplating putting in her headphones when she heard her name. She glanced up and her heart leapt.

Standing in the aisle of the train was Edoardo Incanti. She blinked her eyes wondering if this was some particularly strong coffee and she was hallucinating. Because the odds of Edoardo Incanti being on the same train as her on a random Friday were slim to none.

She realized with a start, that Edoardo was still waiting for a reply. He had said her name, she turned, her insides jumbled, and then she had stared at him like a dumbass.

“Edoardo?” She breathed. His shoulders relaxed a bit and a small smile graced his face.

“I’m sitting across from you.” Edoardo nodded to the seat directly across from her. A table separating the two of them.

“That seems...odd.” Eleonora got out. Seriously, Eleonora wished she had studied more in her statistics classes because what were the fucking odds. Edoardo, it seemed, could still adapt in any situation. He sat down with a laugh and nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, a bit.” He agreed. He pulled out a book from his bag, but left it unopened in his lap. Eleonora couldn’t help herself; she stared.

The years had changed him slightly. He had filled out a bit more around the shoulders, she could see chest hair peeking out from his henley. He had a small beard growing. But other than that he was the same. Her Edo. His eyes still held hint of mischief. His smile the exact same.

Fuck, she had forgotten how pretty he was. Especially like this, wild curls and mostly relaxed. Eleonora cleared her throat.

“Sorry,” She told him, a slight blush warming her cheeks. “It’s just been awhile.” He nodded.

“What’s taking you to Florence?” Edoardo inquired. Eleonora swallowed before speaking.

“A new job, actually,” his eyebrows raised at the information.

“Not school?” He asked.

“I, uh, finished early. Last week, actually. I have a research position for a non-profit green energy company.” Eleonora did her best not to wince at her oversharing.

“Wow! That’s--that’s amazing, Ele,” He told her sincerely. Her heart raced at his use of Ele. Many people called her Ele, but there was only one person who managed to say so much when they used that nickname, and that person was Edoardo.

“Thank you. I’m excited. What about you?” Ele asked. Edoardo ran his hands through his curls; it was a nervous gesture and Eleonora was glad that she wasn’t the only one freaking out. He just hid it well.

“I actually live there.” Eleonora’s eyes widened.

“In Florence?” She clarified.

He nodded his head and laughed. “What were you saying earlier about the odds again?”

“Holy shit,” Eleonora whispered. Edoardo’s laugh ended in a snort.

“Small world.” He told her. Eleonora shook her head.

“No. Massive world. Gigantic fucking world, Edoardo,” she corrected.

The sat in silence for a beat as the train began to move and the conductor spoke overhead. Eleonora’s head was whirring; she didn’t have a right to him anymore, but the physical distance was painful.

She was over him, she reminded herself. It had been four years and she had moved on and grown up. But, her hand itched to touch him. Her heart raced every time their eyes connected. Fuck.

Was she still in love with him? No, she assured herself. She didn’t know this man anymore. But… she definitely still loved the boy he had been four years ago. She knew she would never fully get over him. And having him in front of her for real was throwing her emotions all over the place.

She thought about their last kiss. Their last words. The letter that was buried in a manilla folder at the bottom of her bag. She could never manage to throw it away so she kept it hidden among art pieces from Filo and Nico, from letters when Sana did her semester abroad. Eleonora stared out the window.

“You look good,” she said so quietly she had doubts that he could hear her confession, but he smiled wide and scooted forward in his seat so he leaned across the table. He moved closer to her.

“You look beautiful, as always, Ele,” he replied. Ele grasped her hands together in her lap to hide the shaking. To avoid the temptation to reach out and touch him, or assure herself that he was real.

Elenora gave him a small smile in return. They held each other’s eyes for a few seconds before Edoardo’s phone dinged. “Sorry,” he murmured and frowned slightly before he glanced down and began typing away.

The spell was broken and Eleonora was content at looking out the window. She had a million questions racing through her head. Was he single? How was America? Does he speak with his brother? Was his nonna doing okay? Is he happy? But instead of asking, both Edoardo and Eleonora sat in silence, occasionally making eye contact.

It should’ve been awkward. And it was. But it was also comforting. The silence around them was companionable, not stifled. Elenora was happy with her life and who she was, but it was as if being around Edoardo for the first time in four years allowed her skin to settle. God, she missed him.

The train ride went surprisingly quick. After the almost absurd coincidences, Ele imagined that the train would break down and she and Edoardo would have to share a single bed together. Or some other romantic comedy plot line. But that didn’t happen. Instead, once the train stopped, they stood and Edoardo grabbed her bag for her before following her off the train.

They lingered on the platform.

She caved first. In what was probably the least Eleonora move possible, she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders. He responded immediately, his arms tight around her waist. She counted to five in her head before she pulled away. He looked wrecked and Eleonora thought she must look the same.

“Get dinner with me,” he said, well begged actually. Eleonora tucked her hair behind her ears.

“Yeah?” She asked.

“God, yes, I’ve missed you, Ele.” He told her, his voice cracking.

Eleonora beamed. She let out a nervous laugh, a happy laugh, and nodded.

“Lead the way,” she told him.

Edoardo grabbed her hand and walked out to the station. Eleonora trailing slightly behind him with her luggage.

Eleonora watched as Edoardo walked up to a car and shook hands with the driver. She looked fondly exasperated at the fact that while many things may have changed, Edoardo still had a high-end car waiting for him at the train station. Some things stayed the same.

When Edoardo came back, he grasped her hand again and opened the car door for her. When she refused to let go of his hand even in the car, Edo ran soothing circles on her skin. 

It couldn’t be this easy. She couldn’t get a second chance. But here she was in the backseat of a car holding onto Edoardo like a lifeline four years after they broke up. She still felt good and safe. He still felt like family.

She vowed on the way to the restaurant, as Edoardo told her about Florence, that she would do everything to keep him this time. She wasn’t letting go without a fight.

\-----  
He ordered white wine. Eleonora narrowed her eyes slightly at his selection. When would Edoardo Incanti ever order white wine?He was strictly an old world red wine drinker. It was, perhaps, the first time since she saw him that she remembered she knew nothing about this Edoardo. The differences squeezed her heart for a second at the fact that he grew and changed from someone she loved so dearly. He grew and changed away from her. It wasn’t the realization that he changed that made Ele awkward or unsure, but the fact that her emotions were already moving so fast.

She had been in his presence for barely four hours now and she already wanted him. Need an ache she carried in her bones. It wasn’t healthy; he could be vastly different, the world could’ve hardened him. Or, maybe, he was better than before and Eleonora had not grown to be a better person.

The truth doused her like a bucket of ice water dumped on her head: they may not be good together anymore.

Eleonora reached out and took a sip of the chilled white wine. It was sweet and flavorful and a relief that she liked it. She glanced over at him to find his eyes appraising her, maybe she wasn’t the only one who had doubts, who felt off-kilter.

She decided she should determine if this was possible. If he was still within reach. She wanted to get to know this Edoardo as much as it pained her that the version she knew and loved so deeply was no more.

“So, what is your job here in Florence?” She asked him while pulling apart a piece of bread in her hand.

“Oh,” Edoardo began, “I’m an engineer.”

“Yeah?” Eleonora asked. She wasn’t surprised. Edoardo and her had both attended a science-centered high school and she knew that he was brilliant. But it was hard to imagine Edoardo at a desk. He was too much of a people person to be stuck alone in an office.

“Yeah, I’m, uh, actually the executive engineer so I get to direct a lot of teams and work with clients.” He looked uncomfortable as if he was trying to downplay the incredibly position he was in.

“That’s so great, Edo. Seriously, it makes sense,” Ele told him truthfully.

“Because when you look at me, I scream engineer?” He joked back.

“Exactly,” she teased before sobering, “No. You are so smart, but you can talk to literally anyone. It would’ve been weird if they had you in an office alone.”

He donned a bashful smile and nodded his thanks. It was weird that she could still read him so well, like a language she hadn’t used in a long time. She was rusty, she doubted her skills, but she could clearly make out his expressions. She was still fluent in Edoardo Incanti. It was a relief--and a bit unsettling how much she felt around him.

The rest of dinner went smoothly. They talked superficially about their lives. Edoardo regaling her with stories from America. She laughed and ate and felt good. His eyes shone and Ele guessed he felt the same way. It was nice to feel so much like herself. She didn’t worry about being in control, she didn’t worry about anything. The worst thing that could possibly happen already had. She had lost him. She knew she could survive again if this was a one off dinner of old loved catching up.

She wanted more.

She wanted to pull his curls and feel his skin. She wanted his fingers to push dimples into her thighs as he held her to him. She longed to feel his tongue to trace her own. She wanted whispered confessions under the blankets and heated glances during mundane tasks.

God, she wanted more.

She wanted to rediscover him. See the changes the world had made on his body, see the story of his life on his skin.

As much as she craved more, she also was terrified. She thought she had moved past him. She never thought the torrent of feelings would come back.

She pushed these lingering thoughts to the corner of her mind and tried to focus on the comfort at being near Edoardo for the rest of the night.

\-----

It had been a week since their dinner together. They hadn’t seen each other again, but had sent a few messages back and forth. Eleonora was unsure about what they were. Were they friends? Nothing? Maybe more? They hadn’t kissed after their dinner, as much as she wanted to. He had walked her to her door, holding her hand whenever he could, and given her an all-encompassing hug before saying goodnight and walking back to his car.

She had a text waiting for him the next morning, which she immediately responded to, and that had pretty much been how each day had gone. They would text a few times in the morning, all pleasantries and superficial inquiries, but nothing more.

Eleonora felt lost. He could be dating, engaged, hell married even? Maybe he was thoroughly enjoying the single life. There was too much up in the air and, despite the comfort and safety that she felt almost immediately at being around Edoardo, she didn’t want to assume they would suddenly be entwined again. Eleonora had just put her dinner in the oven and looked over at her phone.

She picked it up and made a call.

“ELE!” Eva shouted into the phone. Ele had to move the phone away from her ear to preserve her hearing.

“Jeez, Ev, I talked to you yesterday,” Ele told her, sitting on her couch and putting the phone on speaker so she would have her hands free. She grabbed the clean towels in front of her and began folding.

“I know! I just miss you,” Eva replied. “What’s up?”

“Nothing much! I am still doing really boring orientations at work, but I think I’ll be really happy. There’s this great researcher in my part of the lab that has been really nice and helpful, so I’m hoping to be friends with her. You?”

“Same old. I’m going to classes and working part-time at the library. They upgraded me to the front desk, so I don’t have to shelve anymore. Basically, I am winning at life.”

“How’s Gio?” Eleonora asked with a slightly teasing tone.

“He’s fine, Ele. I told you, we are just casually dating, getting to know each other as adults,” Eva told her. It made Eleonora think.

“Maybe I should do that?” She asked into the living room quietly. She hadn’t really thought about Eva hearing it, but speaker phone had relayed her sentence.

“With Edoardo?”

“Yeah,” Ele confirmed.

“You haven’t gone out again?” Ele could hear the surprise in Eva’s voice.

“No. We just--text sometimes?”

“Ask him out,” Eva said flat out.

“You, Eva Brighi, are telling me to ask someone out?” Eleonora smiled to herself. Eva had grown so much in the past four years. It was great to see her go out and get what she wanted. She always had, but she didn’t truly believe it.

“Yes. C’mon, Ele. What? He says no? Oh man, it’s not like you haven’t been through him rejecting you before.” Eva’s voice softened at the end. It wasn’t a callous statement; it reminded Eleonora that she was capable of putting herself out there and trying, that the worst could happen and Ele could move on and recover. Eleonora Sava was made of steel.

“You know what, that’s a great idea.” Eva cheered in the background. They continued to talk for a few more minutes, but Eleonora’s mind was thinking about how best to ask Edoardo. The kitchen timer dinged and she reluctantly got off the phone with Eva.

She went over and pulled out her penne dish so it could cool. She grabbed a bottle of wine and sat at the table. She put on a podcast to listen to while she ate.

Again, Eleonora thought about how different she felt alone now compared to her time growing up. As a young teen, she had loved the freedom (or what she thought was freedom). She didn’t think she was lonely. Now, though, she had a steady and solid support system and she knew how deep the loneliness of her youth had eaten at her. Literally, at some points. She was happy to be alone now. Because she wasn’t lonely, she had people. She drank a glass and ate her meal before grabbing some more wine.

She needed a bit of liquid courage before she felt she could text Edoardo.

Liquid courage turned out to be a bad idea. One and a half bottles of wine gone and Eleonora was delightfully tipsy, maybe even drunk. She had spent the hour or two after dinner to get her plants settled and finish unpacking her guest room. It felt so fancy that she could have an apartment by herself with two rooms. She had danced to music and drank wine and now she felt good. She felt like steel spine, Eleonora.

So she decided to say ‘fuck it.’ She stopped the music on her phone and pulled up Edoardo’s contact and hit call.

She padded down the hall to her own room when he answered.

“Ele?” He asked, voice questioning. There was noise in the background and Eleonora thought maybe she had caught him at a bad time.

“EDO,” she said a little louder than intended. She winced at herself and cleared her throat. “Hi,” she finished.

“Hi…” He replied. She was a little too drunk to tell if he was mocking her or not. She decided she didn’t care. She was Eleonora Fucking Sava.

“We should date,” she told him bluntly. She was still pacing her floor, but felt a little light headed and sat at the edge of her bed instead. She listened intently and could hear the music begin to die down before all she heard was a little rustling.

“You’re drunk.”

“Tipsy, I think, is more accurate,” she confirmed. She bit her lip in an anxious gesture.

“You want to date me?” He asked.

“Yup.”

“Is this what sober Eleonora wants?”

“Yes. We conferred earlier,” she told him with a snort of laughter.

“Okay,” he told her. She thought maybe she could hear the amusement in his reply this time.

“Oh good. When?”

Edoardo’s laugh was a muffled thing but it still warmed Elenora. To be honest, she was already a little warm. Good wine will do that.

“Tomorrow for dinner? I’ll pick you up at 8pm?”

“Perfect. I should probably go now. Drink some water,” she told him, remarkably self-aware.

“That sounds like a good idea. I’ll see you tomorrow, Ele. Sweet dreams.”

Ele released a content sigh, “you too, Edo.” She hung up the phone and laid down on her bed. Steel Spine Sava strikes again! She fell asleep soon after she chugged two glasses of water, a smile on her face.

\-----

Eleonora put on a tight pair of black pants. A maroon, flowy, see-through top with a maroon undershirt. She carefully did a french tuck before putting on her boots. Her hair was hanging down at her shoulders and she applied eyeliner and her favorite shade of lipstick.

She felt good and comfortable and like herself. She was just checking her purse to make sure she had everything when she heard a knock at the door. She took a deep breath and opened it. Edoardo Incanti stood leaning against the side of the hall looking positively amazing.

He had a pair of dark denim jeans and a black button-up shirt on that had the top few buttons undone. He still wore a necklace like he used to. His curls were actually put together but one stay curl fell down on his forehead. She restrained herself from pushing it out of the way, but her hand still twitched at her side.

“Hi,” she smiled.

“Ele. You ready?” Eleonora nodded and moved to shut her door and lock it before following closely behind Edoardo.

“So what does a night out in Florence with the Edoardo Incanti look like?” She teased as they continued walking to the car.

“Oh, you’re in for a big treat, Eleonora Francesca Sava,” he told her and winked as he held open the passenger side door for her. On the seat there was a blue tin. She picked it up and placed it on her lap, looking down at the tin curiously. Edoardo walked around the car and gracefully slid into the front seat. She looked at him questioningly.

“I thought you’d appreciate this more than flowers,” he told her, shrugging. Ele opened the tin and inside was filled to the brim with homemade cookies. She made a small nose of giddiness before grabbing a cookie and biting into it. It tasted good. Better than she remembered.

“Did your nonna make these?” She asked with a mouthful of cookies.

“I did, actually. She taught me how to do it before I moved to America so I wouldn’t miss them.” Edoardo glanced at her before turning back to concentrate on driving. Eleonora wondered how many cookies she should eat before dinner.

“Are they all mine?” She asked greedily, carefully putting the top of the tin back in place, only eating the one she had grabbed.

Edoardo laughed bright and clear and nodded at her. “Yes, Ele. The entire tin is yours.” Ele hummed in appreciation and stopped to watch him.

Edoardo and Eleonora made small talk on the way to the restaurant. He asked how her new job was and she told him all about orientation woes, but that she was so looking forward to getting to work. Edoardo told her funny stories from clients that he had earlier in the day. Their conversation stayed superficial until they got to the restaurant.

The restaurant was beautiful. The terrace was lit with fairy lights and had lush greenery around it and growing on top of the pergola covering the terrace. Candlelight lit the tables, and soft music played in the background. As far as first date spots go, it was...breathtaking.

This was definitely a far cry from the pier at night. She looked over at him and a smug smile graced his lips. “You like?” He asked as they settled in at their table.

“It’s beautiful,” she told him sincerely. She had to bite her tongue to keep from asking how many first dates he had brought here. She wasn’t an insecure girl anymore. He could take as many people here as he wanted. It was how they spent their time together that mattered.

Filo would be proud of those thoughts.

Edoardo ordered wine and recommended a few dishes that he had heard were delicious. They were settled into the meal when he cleared his throat slightly. Ele tilted her head in question.

“I’m surprised you asked me out,” he finally stated. His smile helped to reduce her own nerves at the serious turn in conversation.

“You’re hot,” she joked back getting another bright laugh that she relished.

“Of course. You’re using me for my body.”

“And you’re cookie connections,” Ele added. Edo grinned at her and she shrugged slightly.

“It was nice to see you. I had fun. I just--I thought maybe we could...” Ele trailed off unsure of how to phrase it. She didn’t want to pick up where they left off, she wanted something better, stronger, more permanent. Because even though Ele still only somewhat knew this version of him, she knew that, given the chance, she would fall head over heels for him again. Honestly, she was still and always would be a little in love with Edoardo Incanti. But she didn’t know how heavy that was for him. This was their first, maybe second date, despite the history between them.

She wanted to lay out her cards on the table. She wanted to have them be on the same page, but when she was going to tell him she remembered the utter despair she felt when he walked away? Was it possible to repair the damage they had done to each other all those years ago?

Fuck, she didn’t know how to say this. She had changed, obviously, but she was still herself, she was still the same person who has difficulties expressing her emotions and who had trouble opening her carefully guarded heart.

She looked at him pleadingly, hoping he could offer the words she couldn’t get out.

As always, Edoardo took the first step. She would forever be thankful that he was brave with his wants and heart. Where Ele was shy and uncertain, Edoardo gave himself to everything he deemed worthy. And, for the second time in her life, apparently, she was worthy of him.

“We should date exclusively. I have thought about you often, Eleonora. I--uh--have never loved anyone the way I loved you,” he confessed, a blush forming on his cheeks, but otherwise, Edo looked unfazed.

Ele’s heart soared.

“Yes. That’s,” she paused in her reply. “That’s exactly what I want.” He looked happy and reached out his hand across the table, Eleonora grasped it tightly. “You’ve always been it,” she whispered into the night air. It felt easier to confess in the darkness with the soft look of adoration on Edo’s face.

After their confessions, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Ele had never been as happy to be an adult with her own apartment than this exact moment. All she could think about was dragging Edo into her flat and pushing him against the door. Feel his curls between her fingers. Taste him again.

From the heated gaze of his eyes on her lips she thought, once again, they were on the same page. They finished the meal quicker than they started. They walked back out to the valet and waited for their car, Eleonora turned to make a joke about needing more cookies immediately, when, suddenly, she felt Edoardo’s hands gently grasp the back of her head, running through her hair. His other hand wrapped strongly around her waist and he kissed her. Hard.

It was a kiss that Ele felt all the way to her toes. It was hot and demanding, but the gentle hold of his hands made her feel cherished. She missed this, him, this feeling of pure love. She put everything she had into the kiss right back. She wanted him to know how much he meant to her, how sorry she was for how things ended, how much better things could be between them now. She wanted him to know based on the sensual movements on her tongue in his mouth, the way she bit his lip, before soothing it with her own lips, that he would never regret this chance, that Eleonora Sava was not going anywhere.

She was ready for everything.

Edoardo released her when she heard a soft throat clearing next to them. The valet stood near, trying not to look directly at them and held Edoardo’s keys in his hands. Edo placed a gentle kiss on Ele’s forehead before taking the keys from the young kid and giving him a large tip. They got into the car and Edo placed his hand on her thigh. She covered his hand with her own and leaned her head back.

“Come home with me, Edo,” she requested. His hand squeezed her thigh in acknowledgment and drove away from the restaurant towards Ele’s flat in silence.

\-----  
As soon as Ele closed and locked the door to her apartment. Edoardo had her pushed up against the wall. His hands slid to her waist. Ele wrapped her arms around his neck, hauling him closer. The feel and taste of Edo made her shiver.

God, she missed this. Their movements were surer than their teens, both of them having more practice. Mostly, though, she missed having a warm weight on top of her that felt good rather than threatening or suffocating. When, in the last four years, had Eleonora felt that when she was with a guy?

She pulled back for air slightly and Edo took the opportunity to trail his lips down her chin and neck. He pulled the tucked shirt out of her pants and she felt his warm hands cover her back. She shivered.

Ele pushed his jacket off of his shoulders and heard it drop to the ground with a small thump. She began to unbutton his shirt as Edoardo continued to kiss her neck, her chin, her lips. Although passionate, his movements were unhurried, and it was Ele that pushed for more. She stripped off his shirt and pushed him back slightly so she could take off her own. Edoardo helped her. When Ele was left in nothing but a bra, they came together again, both of them groaning at the skin on skin contact.

Ele pushed Edoardo slightly so she could move off of the wall and into her bedroom, Edo was hot on her heels. The reached the bed and Ele gently shoved him to sit. She straddled his legs and moved his hips slightly feeling the hardness beneath her.

“Fuck, Ele,” he whispered into her skin. She rocked her hips a second time before Edo grasped her and picked her up putting her on the bed beneath him. He kissed her gently on the forehead, nose, lips, chin, neck, and slowly moved down her body, his tongue making patterns that sent cold chills down her spine. He unbuttoned her pants, and Ele lifted her hips to help him remove the tight black material. His hands skimmed her bare legs as he went.

“Edo,” she whispered into the dimly lit room. He trailed his fingers up her calves and thighs before settling on top of her again cradled between her legs. He kissed her slowly and Ele closed her eyes and felt truly cherished. Edo’s hands reached behind her back undoing her bra and her eyes snapped open at the feel of Edoardo’s mouth kissing the newly exposed skin. Goosebumps rose on her arms, her stomach, her breasts and she grasped the back of Edo’s head to keep him on her body.

They had never gotten this far in high school and for once, Ele didn’t lament this missed opportunity of her youth with him. This felt so good and she was so much more secure in her body. This experience already eclipsed the entirety of her sexual history. Edo was thorough and passionate and god, any time she caught his gaze the pure want that emanated off of him made warmth spread to her core.

Eleonora’s patience was up. She reached down to grab the belt buckle of his pants undid it quickly before continuing with his pant’s zipper. She shoved them down slightly murmuring an “off” demand which Edoardo was eager to follow.

The rest of their clothes came off quickly. Edoardo grabbed a small foil packet from his pocket and Eleonora raised an eyebrow in question. He shrugged slightly, a smug grin on his lips before Eleonora reached down to wrap her hands around him. His grin was replaced with a guttural moan and Ele felt immensely satisfied that she was the one whose actions elicited such a moan.

He rolled the condom on and leaned over her, hitching one of her legs higher on his hips and back.

“Ele?” He asked. Eleonora nodded quickly.

“Yes.” She told him immediately and her eyes rolled back in pleasure as she felt him enter her. She felt warm and hot and, god, it felt so good. She shifted her hips slightly and a sharp jolt of pleasure ran up her spine.

“God, Edo.” She told him, both of them breathing heavy. Throughout their movements, Edoardo continually checked in, letting her set the pace, and pressing his thumb to her clit so Eleonora only experienced intense pleasure the entire time.

It wasn’t, though, until Edoardo whispered, “you’re so fucking beautiful,” in her ear that she came with a silent scream and Edo followed quickly after.

Ele was hot and sticky and Edoardo was a warm weight on top of her, but she also felt sated in a way that had eluded her for, maybe, ever? She fit against him so well. She knew she needed to get up and pee and clean herself off, but she was loathed to move. She wanted to stay here as long as possible. It was her last thought as she dozed off and felt Edo shift off of her and settle next to her, his arms still encompassed her body.

\-----  
Eleonora awoke to something gingerly skimming her back. It was a featherlight touch and goosebumps erupted on her skin. She stretched her legs out and buried her face into her pillow. She was warm and comfortable and didn’t want to get up. She was happy to stay just as she was.

“No,” she said, her face still buried in her pillows.

“Ele,” Edo whispered, playing with her hair.

“I’m sleeping,” she mumbled. She turned her head slightly so one eye was visible and she mustered up all of the energy to glare at him. He smiled brightly.

“It’s morning,” he told her, running his fingertips across her cheeks. Ele closed her eyes at the feeling. God, she felt good. She was happy, and the brief glimpse of Edo from her one eye made her want to roll over on top of him and start her morning properly.

“Go to sleep,” she told him refusing to move and start her day.

“Let’s get dressed and get breakfast,” Edo laughed out. Ele turned her face out from the pillow to look at him properly.

“Food?” She questioned. Edo’s smile broadened.

“Mmm, and coffee,” he confirmed. Ele let out a big yawn and shuffled closer to the heat from Edo’s body.

“Coffee is good,” she told him burying her face into his chest. Edo wrapped his arms around her immediately. She sighed, content. “Comfy, though.”

“How about we get up,” Eleonora interrupted his plans with a “no,” said into his chest. “We take showers, go get breakfast, and then come back and nap.”

Ele lifted her head and played with his wild hair. “Okay, deal.” She leaned up and captured his lips. It was a soft kiss, and Ele relaxed into it. She pulled back slightly and placed two quick, chaste kisses before looking at him happily.

“Hey,” she started, he looked down at her softly, she had to resist the urge to lean up and kiss the smile on his face again. “I’m happy.” It was an understatement, but it was all she could admit to in the morning with something so new and fragile, despite their history.

It was worth confessing. Because as Edo’s eyes widened in surprise, a smile stretched on his face, and the sun’s rays backlit his curls, it was the most beautiful he had ever been.

“Me too, Ele. God, me too.” His fingers gently grasped her chin and tilted her head up so he could kiss her again. This kiss deeper than the last. She pulled back and raised one eyebrow in question.

“Shower?” She asked. Suddenly, Edoardo was picking Eleonora up. Her bright laugh rang clear in the room as she found herself in his arms.

“Do you even know where the bathroom is?” She laughed, holding onto him.

“Found it earlier, come on, Miss Sava. I’m hungry.”

\-----  
The next six months were wonderful. She laughed more and felt more settled than she had in a long time. It wasn’t just Edo. Although, certainly, he was a big part of her happiness. It was her job, which she loved. It was her strengthening relationship with Eva, Marti, Nico, and Filo, despite the distance. She also loved Florence. Eleonora had settled faster than she could’ve imagined.

Edo was practically spending every night in her apartment. He treated her for dates and surprise trips and they bickered over T.V. shows and movies. It wasn’t perfect. He was hotheaded and quick to react, and Eleonora was so sure she was right all the time. But they were good together. They pushed each other and grew together and rediscovered all of themselves in the past few months. It wasn’t perfect, but Ele didn’t want perfect. She had chased that in her youth to almost disastrous effects on her body and psyche.

Still, she should have seen their first obstacle coming. There had been signs and tensions that laid the foundation.

The first sign was that they never mentioned Edoardo’s family. Andrea, in particular, was off limits. Ele went to great lengths to avoid his name or what he did to her. She wasn’t sure if Edo was doing the same, but it was a taboo topic for both of them.

The second was Eleonora’s refusal to talk about the time after he left, the rest of her high school experience. Edo did try to engage in those conversations, but Ele found that her mouth on his body could quickly end those conversations she didn’t want to continue.

The third was a letter from the police department in Rome alerting her to the fact that her restraining order against Andrea was expiring.

Ele didn’t hide the letter. She read it, had a rough night sleep, and then promptly put it out of her mind. Honestly, it never even occurred to her that Edoardo would see it amongst the pile of mail nor did she think he might read it. It wasn’t that Ele thought it was an invasion of privacy. It just did not occur to her that it would be a big deal. But, oh boy, was it.

“Ele?” Edo called her from the living room. Ele’s hands were in a sink full of soapy water. She grabbed her dishcloth to dry the dishes before placing it on the drying rack. She wiped her hands again, getting the remaining water off of them, before turning around to find Edo’s face devoid of any emotion holding a piece of paper.

“What’s going on?” Her brows furrowed, and she took a step toward him.

“What is this?” His stoic face and rigid body had Ele’s stomach dropping. It was an all too familiar look. One that she had not seen since he left her at the greenhouse four and a half years ago. She tried taking a deep breath, but it came out shallow.

She moved closer to him and grabbed the letter from his hand. Understanding washed over her.

“Oh.” She whispered between them, putting the letter down on the coffee table in the living room.

“It’s a notice. You read it,” she told him. Ele wrapped her arms around her midsection. She held herself and held her ground. She was not 17 anymore, and this was no longer her nightmare.

“You have a restraining order against Andrea?” He ground out. Ele sighed, and her arms squeezed her body more tightly.

“Until next month, yes.” It wasn’t that Ele was trying to be difficult. She knew he was getting annoyed at her lack of details, but god, she didn’t want to have this discussion. She kept thinking of the hole inside her heart the last time they had talked about Andrea. The vulnerability and fear of testifying against Andrea and court, and knowing that Edoardo wasn’t by her side. That even if Andrea did go to jail, which he didn’t, he had won. He had taken Edo away from her. And she had helped him because of her lack of trust. She didn’t want to get into this.

“Ele, C’mon. What the hell is going on?” His stance was defensive, and Eleonora took a step away from him. A flash of hurt crossed his face at the distance she put between them.

“Nothing is going on. Something went on. You know what happened. Okay?!” Ele’s voice grew louder toward the end of the sentence.

“This is from the picture?” He asked, refusing to meet her eyes.

“Yes.” Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she did her best not to show the panic she felt. She was overreacting. This was in her past.

“I didn’t hear about this,” His fists clenched. How was she back in this situation? A voice in her head whispered that he would leave her again and her chest ached at the thought. Not again.

“You left,” she told him simply. It wasn’t said in anger or used to throw in his face. It was the truth. He had left. She didn’t even blame him, but why would he think she would keep him updated?

“I want to know everything,” he said, his voice raised. Edo ran his heads through his hair.

Eleonora took another step back. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

He shook his head, “clearly it does,” he told her, picking up the letter from the table and holding it up as evidence.

“Did he do something else?” He asked, darkly. Moments ago, his voice was loud, and now it was quiet and threatening.

“No,” she replied. “Honestly, Edo. He didn’t do anything else.” Silence met her answer. Ele unfurled her arms from her body and began pacing. She resolutely refused to look at him.

“He took naked pictures of me and threatened me with them. I reported it to the police. I told you, and you left school for the week. You came back and broke up with me. A month later, I received a letter requiring my testimony in his case. I went to the court, I told them what happened, which wasn’t much. They played the recording of him threatening me. They showed the fucking picture,” Eleonora told him while pacing behind the couch in the living room. The anger and embarrassment were rising. She hadn’t wanted to see Andrea again. She wasn’t afraid of him then or now, but that didn’t mean she was okay about having to drudge everything up again and again.

“Ele,” Edoardo voice was pitched slower now, softer.

“The court told me that they couldn’t say for certain I wasn’t a willing participant. There was reasonable doubt.” A bad taste rose in her mouth. “But they offered to make him pay a fine for possessing child pornography and that they would put in a restraining order effective for five years. There--the whole story,” Ele finished. She took a chance and glanced over at him. Despite the softness of his voice a moment or so ago, his face was all hard angles, and his eyes held fury. The soft brown was replaced with midnight black.

Ele a lump began to form in her throat. Her chest still ached, the pounding of her heart continued. Her palms felt clammy, and she felt like her whole body broke out in a cold sweat. His face was so much like that day at the greenhouse; angry, upset, and shut down from her. He was going to leave her. This was it. Ele’s breath’s grew more shallow, and she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. She blinked quickly, turning her face away from him, and continued to pace in the living room. Hot tears fell, and she wiped them away immediately. All she could think was that he was leaving. He was leaving. He was leaving.

Suddenly, Edo’s warm hands grasped her upper arms and hauled her to his body. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered soft hushes into her ear. He told her to breathe. Eleonora didn’t even know she had started sobbing, but she didn’t try to hold it in.

“You’ll never see him again,” Edo vowed, rubbing her back as Ele stained his shirt with her tears. It took her a few minutes to process.

“I don’t care about him, Edo.” She told him, her words thick in her mouth. It was all she could get out in the moment, though. She couldn’t tell him the real reason she was upset. Her throat clogged, so all she could do was stay in his arms and ride out the emotional release. 

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed. But he stood there holding her until she gently pulled away. Her eyes were sore, and her legs felt shaky, but she didn’t know where to begin. She looked up at him and her heart clenched at the agony on his face. His eyes were sunken in and red, his brow furrowed, his face pale. 

“We should talk,” she told him and her voice cracked from the lack of use. 

“Yeah.” 

Ele leaned her head on his shoulder. “Can I shower first?” 

“Sure.” 

She took a step back and pushed to her tiptoes placing a chaste kiss on his cheek, lingering for a moment, before heading into the bathroom. She turned the water on as hot as possible, stripped her clothes, and let the water hit her skin. She scrubbed her body and washed her face and relished in the feeling of the heat from the shower. She got out quicker than she normally would and dried off. She walked to her closet, but instead of pulling on a cute pajama set she found one of Edo’s soft shirts and pulled it over her head. 

She walked out to the living room and saw Edo sitting up on the couch, his head looking down and shoulders rounded. 

She paused in the hallway. Her heart beat faster. 

He was still there. 

Edoardo Incanti was sitting in her living room. 

It floored her. She hadn’t expected him to be here. She put on his shirt in the hopes it could comfort her in his absence. 

But there he sat. Tired looking and maybe strained in his posture, but still present on her faded green antique couch that she had salvaged and lovingly brought back to life. 

“Edo?” She questioned him padding forward to the couch and standing near him. He looked up taking in her wet hair that dripped on his oversized t-shirt and her bare feet standing towards the end of the couch. 

“Hey,” he said quietly. He patted the faded green couch cushion next to him beckoning her to sit. She moved towards him sitting on the couch and restrained herself from reaching out and touching him. She wanted to prove he was real, but she resisted. He angled his body towards her. His arm rested on the back of the couch and one of his legs folded next to him. 

“You’re still here,” she remarked and her tone held a hint of wonder in it.

Edo tilted his head and his eyes roamed her face for clarification. 

“I thought you might have left,” she shrugged her shoulders. It was a simple statement, but both of them knew the meaning it held. 

“I was confused and angry. You know I react immediately,” he started before pausing slightly. Ele watched as his hand that was not resting along the back of the couch moved towards her. He grasped her hand and interlaced their fingers. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to leave.” 

“I know you aren’t the same person you were when you were nineteen,” Ele acknowledged and leaned into his body, seeking warmth, and forgiveness, and comfort. She sought the things she knew Edo had always given her. “But you left before. You left me and I have been trying so hard to not bring up Andrea and what happened. I had thought--I thought that we were both purposefully not bringing him up.” 

“A little, maybe,” he nodded his head and Ele leaned towards him. They gravitated towards each other, instinctually. 

“I just have been holding my breath waiting for something to come up that was...too much,” she confessed. “It probably wasn’t fair to either of us, but I…” she trailed off. She wasn’t sure she could articulate what she needed. She wasn’t even certain she knew what she was trying to say. She squeezed Edoardo’s hand, uncertain. 

“Okay,” he said. He sat up straighter and turned so his body touched hers. “Here’s what we are going to do.” Ele focused on him entirely. Her eyes noticed the slight uptick in his lips. It was such an Edo mannerism, to have a small smile before he explained a plan he thought was brilliant. “We will fight. We are going to fight, Ele. And I may react poorly, and you may not tell me everything up front,” he paused, squeezing her hand before continuing. “But I promise that I will never leave you, Eleonora Francesca Sava. And if I ever walk out that door after a fight, I will be back with flowers within twenty-four hours.” Ele fondly rolled her eyes at the statement. 

“I want a live plant,” she joked, her heart lifting at his promise. 

“Deal,” he told her immediately. “And, unlike last time, this promise will be kept.” Her brows come together perplexed. 

“What promise?” 

“I promised I would never hurt you. And I did. I brought Andrea to your life.” Ele shook her head immediately. 

“Nuh uh,” she told him immediately, “No.” Her voice brokered no argument. “That was not your fault and you did not break your promise to me on that front.” He looked doubtful, but Ele leveled him with a glare. She wasn’t moving on until he stopped blaming himself for Andrea. 

“Maybe, logically, I know that,” he conceded, “but it doesn’t feel like that. I had to leave to make sure that didn’t happen again.” Ele straightened up. Of, fucking, course, she thought. 

“You broke up with me to protect me?” She asked, incredulous. 

Edo had the decency to look sheepish. “Partly, I think I was scared too, of how much you could hurt me, but that thought wasn’t until later reflecting back. Basically, I just wanted you to be free of me so you wouldn’t have to deal with any more bullshit,” he said. 

“You’re so stupid,” she told him. “I wanted you then and I want you now, dumbass,” he ducked his head down in embarrassment. 

“Here’s what we will do,” she cleared her throat and brought her hand up to slowly run her fingers down his cheek. It was a familiar gesture that Edo often used to comfort Ele. She wanted to offer him the same comfort now. “I won’t keep things from you, Edo. And I will try to remember that you won’t leave as you promised.” 

Ele noticed the way that Edo’s eyes closed at her promise. She felt lighter and freer and she loved him so much more. He stayed and he listened and he had grown to be such an incredible man. Her man. 

She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his forehead. It was this moment that Ele realized that her worries about the future were gone. Because they had grown together and they had grown in ways that continued to support and love one another, even after everything. They could face whatever was to come. 

\-----  
EPILOGUE

Edoardo moved the last box from the truck to their new home. Eleonora heard him mutter something about hiring movers, but she ignored him in favor of looking out of the windows to their house. She couldn’t believe she owned a home with Edoardo. That they were in love, good together, and meant to be. The vow he made in her living room six months ago with their fight was true, he never planned on leaving again. It warmed her to think about.

He began unpacking boxes to search for bathroom items and sheets to go on the bed. He knocked over the entire box he had been searching on the floor. He cursed slightly before bending over to pick up the papers.

It was just as Edoardo’s hand reached the folded white paper that Eleonora saw what he was about to grab. Her letter. The letter she wrote to him five years ago.

She walked over to him quickly, her socks sliding on the polished wood floor and her arms outstretched trying to gain balance. She attempted to grab it from his hands, her heart beating heavy.

Fuck, she should’ve thrown it away. But it had been with her through every step and it was comforting to have, to see how far she came, how good Edoardo was to her, how much she had to lose. He held it out of reach and looked down at her.

“It’s addressed to me, love,” he said wiggling his eyebrows. He didn’t know what it was and she didn’t want him to. It would make him sad and mopey and today was supposed to be a happy day; they moved into their dream house today.

“Edoardo, give it back,” she demanded, using his full name and trying to reach the letter while still having her dignity intact.

“Ele?” He questioned as he saw the real anxiety in her eyes. He lowered the letter and handed it over to her immediately.

“What is it?” He asked. His voice was gentle and his brows furrowed in confusion, but he had given the letter back. He respected her boundaries. She looked around and saw all of the boxes they had moved in by themselves because she refused to hire movers to do something when they were more than capable. She looked at Edo, the love of her life, being everything she ever needed and wanted. She looked up at her family.

She held the letter out to him.

“I, uh, wrote it the day we broke up, five years ago,” she explained. He held the letter closed and focused entirely on Eleonora. “I couldn’t sleep. So I wrote down my thoughts so I could finally get rest.” She saw him glance down at the letter more intently now.

“I don’t know why I kept it all these years.” Ele shrugged. “It just felt wrong to throw away.” Edoardo seemed to be holding himself back from reading the letter, but just barely--she could tell. So she nodded her head.

“You can read it,” she told him. He slowly opened the letter and Eleonora shifted her weight as she watched him read.

It wasn’t a long letter but he was silent for a good amount of time. Eleonora anxiously waited.

“Edo?” She asked hesitantly. Edoardo looked up. She could see tears forming in his eyes and her heart broke at the sorrow she saw there. But instead of getting mad or hurt or apologizing Edoardo ran his fingers down her cheek and gave her a bruising kiss. He finally let her up for air a few minutes later. His forehead rested against her own.

“You will always be my family, Ele. You cannot go anywhere or do anything where I will not follow.”

Eleonora smile bloomed happily on her face. Because she knew without a doubt that he was sincere, that they would always be each other’s family, that even after four years apart, they had always considered each other home.

“I know,” she said simply.

**Author's Note:**

> HUGE thanks to @nnegan13 for the reads/edits/discussions (go read her stuff too) Thank you soooooo much! 
> 
> Find me on tumblr: https://air-bison-yip-yip.tumblr.com/
> 
> I really hope y'all enjoy. This fic is literally labeled "this prompt makes me wanna die" and it's true, but also they made those hot idiots. 
> 
> -Sleepbanshee


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